Plans are set to proceed with the first two title fights of the new year.

All four parties arrived in phenomenal shape as they made weight for a pair of strawweight title fights airing live Friday on Abema TV from EDION Arena in Osaka, Japan. Tokyo’s Masataki Taniguchi defends his WBO strawweight title against The Philippines’ Melvin Jerusalem, while visiting Daniel Valladares attempts the first defense of his IBF title against unbeaten and heavily favored contender Ginjiro Shigeoka.

Taniguchi (16-3, 11KOs) wlll attempt the second defense of his unlikely WBO title reign that began with an eleventh-round stoppage of Wilfredo Mendez last December 14 at the famed Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo. His lone fight of 2022 saw the 28-year-old southpaw stop countryman Kai Ishizawa in the eleventh round of their April 22 rematch at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Taniguchi previously outpointed a then-unbeaten Ishizawa in September 2021.

Jerusalem (19-2, 11KOs) enters his second career title bid.

The streaking contender from General Santos City, Philippines came up just short in a January 2017 WBC strawweight title challenge of then-unbeaten Wanheng ‘TBE’ Menayothin in Phitsanulok, Thailand, his lone career bout on the road. A ten-round points loss to countryman Joey Canoy marked the only other defeat for Jerusalem, who has since won seven in a row including a second-round stoppage on August 24 in General Santos City.

Far greater fanfare surrounds the IBF title fight, particularly with the prodigious Shigeoka (8-0, 6KOs) bidding for his first major title.

The 23-year-old southpaw from Tokyo comes in with lofty expectations nationwide. Through four years and just eight pro fights, he has already drawn comparisons to three-division champ and high-ranking pound-for-pound entrant Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue (24-0, 21KOs).

It all creates a tall order for Valladares (27-3-1, 15KOs) is confident of returning home with his title reign still intact.

The 28-year-old from Monterrey, Mexico leaves his country for the first time in his career, coming in his first title defense. Valladares won the belt on his second try, outpointing Rene Mark Cuarto over twelve rounds to win the IBF strawweight title on July 1 in San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico. The win was his fourth straight following a three-fight winless streak that included a four-round technical draw with then-IBF titlist Pedro Taduran in February 2020.

Cuarto made his way back to the mandatory position and will next face the Valladares-Shigeoka winner.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox